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The life-skills classes attended by Ohio State University football players soon will include
special sessions on “relationship abuse” taught by local domestic- and family-violence prevention
advocates.

OSU athletic director Gene Smith said the first session is set for next week. Depending on what
officials think of the presentation, the effort might be expanded to all sports, Smith said
yesterday.

“It’s an issue that we’ve always tried to address with all of our teams, men and women,” he
said. “I don’t want it to look like we’re targeting the football program.”

Researchers have long studied, and cited, issues of violence in the world of collegiate
athletics. The National Coalition Against Violent Athletes says some research shows that male
student-athletes are more likely to commit crimes such as assault but less likely than the general
population to be convicted.

Smith said education and awareness about relationship abuse are beneficial to all sports
programs. “Unfortunately, football has that stigma because of the history of behavior of a small
number of young men,” he said.

The Center for Family Safety and Healing, which is on the campus of Nationwide Children’s
Hospital, will conduct the sessions for OSU. At least three are planned.

Karen Days, the center’s president, said the effort fits with its work to involve more men in
the community conversation about family violence and relationship abuse.

Days said she’ll focus on not only helping the young men recognize relationship abuse but also
explaining that they have a responsibility to report or intervene when they witness abusive
behavior.

“What I think will be good is that it will clear out any ambiguity that might be there in the
lives of these young men,” she said. “And then we’ll ask them to be there for their brothers —
these guys are a family. We want to give them the tools to be able to say, ‘This is not OK
behavior.’ ”

Smith said student-athlete programs on relationship abuse and violence typically use university
teachers and resources. He said he’s eager to see the expertise and approach of Days’
organization.

Days said the aim is for more young men and women to become willing to stand up and speak
out.

“We are hoping, in the end, that we will get the team to make a pledge,” she said. “They are
going to be our ambassadors and be the kind of bystanders we’re asking for.”